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“Ah shit!” He jogs over to the booth, helping up whoever is there and sits down next to them. I look over to J who’s watching the scene with interest and a look in her eyes that I can’t explain or put my finger on.

“I don’t know why you let her to stay here while we’re closing, she doesn’t work here.” One of the girls’ sniffs, her face turning sour as she watches them with disgust.

“Like I keep telling you,” J turns to her. “She helps out every night when she stays. She does more work than you do.”

“What?” she gasps, turning around to look at everyone, obviously hoping someone will back her up but when they all stay silent, she says. “I can’t believe-”

“Shut it!” J thunders, her voice taking on an authoritative tone. “You’re already on your last warning, I suggest you get to cleaning up the place.” She looks around at the everyone and then says, “All of you.”

I raise my brows, impressed with the way she handles them. I definitely don’t want to be on the wrong side of her, that’s for sure.

“Erm... J!” Jackson calls out. “I think there’s something wrong with her.”

“What?” She walks around the bar, coming to a stop in front of the couple.

“She’s not responding. I don’t know what’s happened. Shit!”

“Let me see,” she says, leaning over Jackson to get to whoever is there. “Has she drank tonight?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “She never drinks; she doesn’t like not having any control.”

“Hmm, have you been pouring her drinks?” she asks, pulling back.

“Yeah but she hasn’t been sat at the bar all night, she was in a booth for a while but I made sure I was handing her drinks to her.” I lift up off the stool, seeing just how panicked he is. “Has she been...” He leaves the word hanging in the air and I frown, not liking where this is going.

She’s probably just had too much to drink, like most of the people in here tonight.

“You sure she’s not drunk?” I ask, walking

closer.

“No.” Jackson shakes his head and turns to face me, a mixture of annoyance, anger and worry on his face. “You know she doesn’t drink.”

“What? How would I know?” I point to my chest as my brow arches high on my forehead, what the hell is he talking about?

He raises a brow back at me as I get closer and moves over so I can see who it is.

My heart hammers in my chest as my stomach bottoms out. What the hell is she doing here?

Then it makes sense, she did say that she meets Jackson at work so if Jackson works here that means she lives close by.

“Ava?” I manage to get out. Licking my lips, I move closer, placing my hand on her head. “She’s burning up.” Pulling one of her eyelids open, I check her pupils but they’re fine.

“You know her?” J asks.

I stare at Ava, her body so small and delicate, her face so innocent and I can’t bear to see her like this.

“Yeah,” I reply solemnly, not moving my eyes off Ava. “You remember I told you about Birdie?”

“Yeah...” Her eyes go wide when she makes the connection.

“She’s Birdie.” I tilt my head to Ava.

“Oh snap,” she gasps, looking back down at Ava and then to me. “Did you know she comes here?”

Shaking my head, I place my hands on my hips and blow out a deep breath. I can’t believe that I didn’t know she was this close to the bar all this time. Had I have known, I would have had J check on her for me.

Why the hell didn’t I think to find out where she lived while I was away?